As the garden winds down and the days grow shorter, winter is the perfect planning season for gardeners. While the soil rests, you can take stock of this year's successes and start dreaming about next year's bounty. A bit of preparation now – from sorting your seed collection to jotting down new varieties to try – will pay off when spring arrives. Planning ahead during the quieter months means you'll be organised and ready to hit the ground running as soon as the growing season kicks off again.
Review This Year's Garden
Start your planning process by reflecting on the past growing season. What thrived and what struggled in your garden this year? Make notes of which varieties gave the best harvests or most beautiful blooms, and which pests or diseases gave you trouble. This honest review will guide your decisions for next year – you might choose to grow more of the successes and try different solutions or varieties for the problem areas. Autumn evenings are a great time to flip through your gardening journal or jot down memories from the season while they're still fresh.
Organise and Inventory Your Seeds
Next, take stock of your seed stash. Many of us accumulate half-used packets of seeds over time – now is the time to sort them out. Gather all your seed packets, envelopes of saved seeds, and any other seed stores. Check the dates (most seeds have a “sow by” year on the packet) and separate out any that are very old or no longer viable. Organise the keepers by category (vegetables, herbs, flowers, etc.) or by sowing season. Proper storage is key: keep seeds in a cool, dry place, ideally in airtight containers. By organizing now, you'll know exactly what you have when it's time to sow, and you won't accidentally buy duplicates of seeds hiding at the back of the shed.
Make a Wish List of Varieties
This is the fun part – deciding what you want to grow next year. Based on your review and interests, start a wish list of varieties or new plants to try. Perhaps you tasted a delicious tomato at a friend's allotment that you'd like to grow yourself, or you read about a flower that attracts lots of pollinators. Write down all the seeds and plants you'd love to have. Consider also which crops or flowers you want to grow more of (or less of) compared to this year. Over winter, you can research these varieties, read seed catalogues or websites, and narrow down your list. By the time spring comes, you'll have a clear idea of what you need to obtain.